Russia Express

Itinerary:

Day 1
:
Moscow

You will be met at the airport upon arrival and transferred to the hotel. Hotel check-in and free time to get some rest after the flight.

Day 2
:
Moscow

Our Russian tour begins with the City tour of Moscow. Thisis a general overview of the city and its main areas within the boundaries of the Garden Ring and the Boulevard Ring: Red Square, Kremlin, Kitay Gorod, Tverskaya, Arbat and Zamoskvorechje. The tour will get you acquainted with the city and its main landmarks: Red Square and Kremlin, St. Basil's Church, Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Novodevichiy Convent, Luzhniki, the White House, Moskva River and others. You will drive to the Sparrow Hills, 6 km south-west of the Kremlin, topped by the Moscow University skyscraper, for the best panoramic view of the city. During the tour you will visit Novodevichiy Convent founded in 1524 and proclaimed UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004. The convent has sheltered many famous Russian ladies such as Irina Godunova (the sister of Boris Godunov), Sophia Alekseyevna (sister of Peter the Great), Eudoxia Lopukhina (first wife of Peter the Great) and others.

In the afternoon you will explore Red Square and the Kremlin areas with its famous landmarks of St. Basil's Cathedral, Mausoleum, Historical Museum and GUM store. Inside Kremlin the main landmarks are three Cathedrals - Assumption, Annunciation and Archangel - dated back to the 15-16th centuries, Ivan the Great Bell Tower, Tsar Bell, Tsar Cannon, Hall of Facets and Terem Place. Your tour will include a visit to the Armory - a stunning collection of wealth and treasures accumulated by Russian state and church over the centuries. The collection includes royal regalia, Faberge Eggs of precious metals and jewels, the 800-diamond throne of Tsar Alexey, the jewel-studded and sable-trimmed gold Cap of Monomakh worn for coronations for two centuries, the coronation dress of Catherine the Great, the sleigh in which Elizabeth rode from St. Petersburg to Moscow for her coronation pulled by 23 horses at a time. Between the Armory and the Annunciation Cathedral is the Great Kremlin Palace the official residence of Russian president.

Day 3
:
Moscow

Today we will explore Moscow Metro - one of the most beautiful and efficient subway systems in the world carrying over 10 million passengers daily (more than the New York and London systems combined). It was designed by prominent Russian architects and artists whose goal was not to create just a transportation system but a showcase to glorify the socialism and its achievements. You will visit the most amazing stations decorated with granite, marble, bronze, statues and other pieces of art - making it look more like a museum than a subway.

Your next visit is to the famous Tretyakov Gallery located in Zamoskvorechyje - one of the oldest parts of Moscow. The Gallery is a national treasury housing the largest and most distinguished collection of Russian art in the world. The gallery was named after Russian entrepreneur Pavel Tretyakov, who donated his house, where the Gallery is still located, surrounding buildings and almost 2000 works of Russian art from his own private collection to the city of Moscow at the end of the 19th century. The collection grew overtime and now features over 100,000 Russian works from medieval icons, including the ones by famous Andrey Rublev, to early 20th century. In the evening transfer to the train station. Our tour of Russia continues to Novgorod onboard the overnight train.

Day 4
:
Novgorod – St. Petersburg

You will arrive in Novgorod early in the morning and transfer to the hotel for breakfast and rest after the train ride. In the afternoon enjoy the City Tour of Velikiy Novgorod – Russia’s first capital dating back to the 9th century, one of the oldest cities in Russia and Eastern Europe. Novgorod is famous for its medieval monuments and the 14th century frescoes of Theophanes the Greek. Historic Monuments of Novgorod are on UNESCO World Heritage List. Your tour will include Novgorod Kremlin, St. Sophia Cathedral, Yaroslav Court and medieval churches. Transfer to St. Petersburg in the evening, hotel check-in.

Day 5
:
St. Petersburg

Meet your guide in the morning for a City Tour of St. Petersburg, one of the most fascinating cities in Europe, often called Venice of the North. The city is known for its elegant buildings and stately palaces, intricate bridges and amazing museums, historical monuments and royal parks and palaces. On your tour you will drive by many landmarks such as Schmidt Bridge, Strelka with Stock Exchange and Rostral Columns, St. Isaac's Cathedral, Peter and Paul Fortress, Alexander Nevsky Lavra, Palace Square with Winter Palace and Alexander Column, Bronze Horseman - the famous monument to Peter the Great, Admiralty, Canal Griboyedova, Fontanka, Kazan Cathedral, Church on Spilled Blood and others. Your tour includes a visit to St. Isaac’s Cathedral.

St. Isaac's Cathedral was built as the city's main church and the largest cathedral in Russia between 1818 and 1858, by the French-born architect Auguste de Montferrand. At that time it was one of the most impressive landmarks of the Russian Imperial capital. Nowadays St. Isaac's Cathedral still dominates the skyline of St. Petersburg. Although it is considerably smaller than the newly rebuilt Church of Christ the Savior in Moscow, it boasts impressive interiors and decorations of marble, malachite, lapis-lazuli, paintings, mosaics and stained glass made by the most famous Russian artists.

In the afternoon we will visit the State Hermitage Art Museum occupying six magnificent buildings situated along the embankment of the Neva River. The leading role in this unique architectural ensemble is played by the Winter Palace, former royal residence built in 1754 - 1762 according to the design of Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli. It is extended by the General Staff building, the Menshikov Palace and the recently constructed Repository. Put together throughout two and a half centuries, the Hermitage collection consists of over 3,000,000 works of art and presents the development of the world culture and art from the Stone Age to the 20th century.

Day 6
:
St. Petersburg

After breakfast tour to Peterhof (formerly known as Petrodvorets), one of St. Petersburg's most famous and popular visitor attractions, often referred to as "the Russian Versaille". The history of Peterhof began in 1704 when Peter I built a wooden house on the Gulf of Finland where he would stay while overseeing the construction of the nearby Kronstadt Fortress. In 1713 the area was transformed into an imperial residence. The Grand Palace was inaugurated in 1723 and later expanded by Empress Elizabeth. The Grand Palace is surrounded by a beautiful park famous for its fountains. There are 144 of them, all operating without the use of pumps by a combination of naturally generated water pressure and magic. Each fountain is unique and once you step in the kingdom of fountains you will be surprised by this splendid beauty created by a man.

Day 7
:
St. Petersburg

Half day tour to Pushkin located 25-30 km from St. Petersburg. Pushkin's palaces and parks were created under Empresses Elizabeth and Catherine the Great between 1744 and 1796. The main landmark is the truly magnificient Catherine Palace designed by Rastrelli and named after Elizabeth’s mother, Peter the Great's second wife Catherine. Pushkin's original name is Tsarskoye Selo (Tsar's Village). It was renamed in 1937 after Russia’s famous poet who used to study here. The Palace is surrounded by extensive landscaped gardens with fascinating decorative architecture.

Dates:

Rates:

Included:

2 nights in Moscow 1/2 day hotel in Novgorod4 nights in St. Petersburg Overnight train Moscow - NovgorodDaily Breakfast in Moscow and St. Petersburg Private Sightseeing Tours with an English speaking guide Transportation by private car Arrival and Departure transfers by private car All admission and Entrance fees Tax and Service Charges

Rates:

Dates:

Included:

2 nights in Moscow 1/2 day hotel in Novgorod4 nights in St. Petersburg Overnight train Moscow - NovgorodDaily Breakfast in Moscow and St. Petersburg Private Sightseeing Tours with an English speaking guide Transportation by private car Arrival and Departure transfers by private car All admission and Entrance fees Tax and Service Charges

Itinerary:

Day 1
:
Moscow

You will be met at the airport upon arrival and transferred to the hotel. Hotel check-in and free time to get some rest after the flight.

Day 2
:
Moscow

Our Russian tour begins with the City tour of Moscow. Thisis a general overview of the city and its main areas within the boundaries of the Garden Ring and the Boulevard Ring: Red Square, Kremlin, Kitay Gorod, Tverskaya, Arbat and Zamoskvorechje. The tour will get you acquainted with the city and its main landmarks: Red Square and Kremlin, St. Basil's Church, Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Novodevichiy Convent, Luzhniki, the White House, Moskva River and others. You will drive to the Sparrow Hills, 6 km south-west of the Kremlin, topped by the Moscow University skyscraper, for the best panoramic view of the city. During the tour you will visit Novodevichiy Convent founded in 1524 and proclaimed UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004. The convent has sheltered many famous Russian ladies such as Irina Godunova (the sister of Boris Godunov), Sophia Alekseyevna (sister of Peter the Great), Eudoxia Lopukhina (first wife of Peter the Great) and others.

In the afternoon you will explore Red Square and the Kremlin areas with its famous landmarks of St. Basil's Cathedral, Mausoleum, Historical Museum and GUM store. Inside Kremlin the main landmarks are three Cathedrals - Assumption, Annunciation and Archangel - dated back to the 15-16th centuries, Ivan the Great Bell Tower, Tsar Bell, Tsar Cannon, Hall of Facets and Terem Place. Your tour will include a visit to the Armory - a stunning collection of wealth and treasures accumulated by Russian state and church over the centuries. The collection includes royal regalia, Faberge Eggs of precious metals and jewels, the 800-diamond throne of Tsar Alexey, the jewel-studded and sable-trimmed gold Cap of Monomakh worn for coronations for two centuries, the coronation dress of Catherine the Great, the sleigh in which Elizabeth rode from St. Petersburg to Moscow for her coronation pulled by 23 horses at a time. Between the Armory and the Annunciation Cathedral is the Great Kremlin Palace the official residence of Russian president.

Day 3
:
Moscow

Today we will explore Moscow Metro - one of the most beautiful and efficient subway systems in the world carrying over 10 million passengers daily (more than the New York and London systems combined). It was designed by prominent Russian architects and artists whose goal was not to create just a transportation system but a showcase to glorify the socialism and its achievements. You will visit the most amazing stations decorated with granite, marble, bronze, statues and other pieces of art - making it look more like a museum than a subway.

Your next visit is to the famous Tretyakov Gallery located in Zamoskvorechyje - one of the oldest parts of Moscow. The Gallery is a national treasury housing the largest and most distinguished collection of Russian art in the world. The gallery was named after Russian entrepreneur Pavel Tretyakov, who donated his house, where the Gallery is still located, surrounding buildings and almost 2000 works of Russian art from his own private collection to the city of Moscow at the end of the 19th century. The collection grew overtime and now features over 100,000 Russian works from medieval icons, including the ones by famous Andrey Rublev, to early 20th century. In the evening transfer to the train station. Our tour of Russia continues to Novgorod onboard the overnight train.

Day 4
:
Novgorod – St. Petersburg

You will arrive in Novgorod early in the morning and transfer to the hotel for breakfast and rest after the train ride. In the afternoon enjoy the City Tour of Velikiy Novgorod – Russia’s first capital dating back to the 9th century, one of the oldest cities in Russia and Eastern Europe. Novgorod is famous for its medieval monuments and the 14th century frescoes of Theophanes the Greek. Historic Monuments of Novgorod are on UNESCO World Heritage List. Your tour will include Novgorod Kremlin, St. Sophia Cathedral, Yaroslav Court and medieval churches. Transfer to St. Petersburg in the evening, hotel check-in.

Day 5
:
St. Petersburg

Meet your guide in the morning for a City Tour of St. Petersburg, one of the most fascinating cities in Europe, often called Venice of the North. The city is known for its elegant buildings and stately palaces, intricate bridges and amazing museums, historical monuments and royal parks and palaces. On your tour you will drive by many landmarks such as Schmidt Bridge, Strelka with Stock Exchange and Rostral Columns, St. Isaac's Cathedral, Peter and Paul Fortress, Alexander Nevsky Lavra, Palace Square with Winter Palace and Alexander Column, Bronze Horseman - the famous monument to Peter the Great, Admiralty, Canal Griboyedova, Fontanka, Kazan Cathedral, Church on Spilled Blood and others. Your tour includes a visit to St. Isaac’s Cathedral.

St. Isaac's Cathedral was built as the city's main church and the largest cathedral in Russia between 1818 and 1858, by the French-born architect Auguste de Montferrand. At that time it was one of the most impressive landmarks of the Russian Imperial capital. Nowadays St. Isaac's Cathedral still dominates the skyline of St. Petersburg. Although it is considerably smaller than the newly rebuilt Church of Christ the Savior in Moscow, it boasts impressive interiors and decorations of marble, malachite, lapis-lazuli, paintings, mosaics and stained glass made by the most famous Russian artists.

In the afternoon we will visit the State Hermitage Art Museum occupying six magnificent buildings situated along the embankment of the Neva River. The leading role in this unique architectural ensemble is played by the Winter Palace, former royal residence built in 1754 - 1762 according to the design of Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli. It is extended by the General Staff building, the Menshikov Palace and the recently constructed Repository. Put together throughout two and a half centuries, the Hermitage collection consists of over 3,000,000 works of art and presents the development of the world culture and art from the Stone Age to the 20th century.

Day 6
:
St. Petersburg

After breakfast tour to Peterhof (formerly known as Petrodvorets), one of St. Petersburg's most famous and popular visitor attractions, often referred to as "the Russian Versaille". The history of Peterhof began in 1704 when Peter I built a wooden house on the Gulf of Finland where he would stay while overseeing the construction of the nearby Kronstadt Fortress. In 1713 the area was transformed into an imperial residence. The Grand Palace was inaugurated in 1723 and later expanded by Empress Elizabeth. The Grand Palace is surrounded by a beautiful park famous for its fountains. There are 144 of them, all operating without the use of pumps by a combination of naturally generated water pressure and magic. Each fountain is unique and once you step in the kingdom of fountains you will be surprised by this splendid beauty created by a man.

Day 7
:
St. Petersburg

Half day tour to Pushkin located 25-30 km from St. Petersburg. Pushkin's palaces and parks were created under Empresses Elizabeth and Catherine the Great between 1744 and 1796. The main landmark is the truly magnificient Catherine Palace designed by Rastrelli and named after Elizabeth’s mother, Peter the Great's second wife Catherine. Pushkin's original name is Tsarskoye Selo (Tsar's Village). It was renamed in 1937 after Russia’s famous poet who used to study here. The Palace is surrounded by extensive landscaped gardens with fascinating decorative architecture.